Explorer Division Column DEG

Carbon capture utilization and storage was labeled “a gold rush” by Bloomberg Businessweek in January. Much of it is driven by the 45Q carbon capture and storage tax credit that has significantly changed the economic outlook for CCUS. Injection of CO2 into the subsurface has been used for tertiary oil recovery efforts in the Permian Basin of New Mexico and West Texas since the 1970s. However, the permanent storage of CO2, especially in saline reservoirs, is a relatively new enterprise.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer President’s Column

“When aspiration and reality collide, in my experience reality wins every time,” said Jeff Miller, chairman, president and CEO of Halliburton, last month at the inaugural Middle East Oil, Gas and Geosciences Show (MEOS GEO) in Bahrain. He made the remark in the context of a CEO discussion about the industry and its response to the energy transition. The truth of his observation is much broader. As AAPG identifies and prepares new ways to serve its members and attract new members for decades to come, it’s important for us to understand the facts, as best we can. If our strategy is to succeed, it must be based on reality. One reality we face in the United States and Europe is dwindling enrollments in the geosciences, and the jobs these graduates are getting are rapidly changing.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Pete Rose, a renowned and highly active member of AAPG and the wider petroleum industry, passed away on Dec. 19, 2022. He was 87 years old. “The recent passing of Dr. Peter Rose was a shock to many AAPG members,” said past AAPG President Patrick J.F. Gratton.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Historical Highlights

Working in arduous desert conditions and leading a team of explorers in the 1930s and ‘40s from the company that would come to be Aramco, Max Steineke put Saudi Arabia on the world petroleum map. A definitive, book-length biography of Steineke is yet to be written, but what follows outlines his career and contributions to petroleum geology and exploration during a period and in places far from the comforts, facilities and technologies enjoyed today. And yet, his exploration output from a single basin remains unparalleled, and his story offers valuable insights.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Considering climate change impact mitigation, the world’s need for raw materials, new ways of addressing energy needs and management of water resources — not to mention its own internal “crew change” — the geoscience community now faces a uniquely tumultuous time. How, in the coming decades, will the industry meet these often insurmountable, conflicting challenges? Is it even ready? Perhaps, most fundamentally and philosophically, what will the profession look like in the years to come as it tries to do all that?

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

In the race to find the best mix of clean fuel sources, many oil companies are reinventing themselves more broadly as “energy companies” and including geothermal energy, hydropower, solar and wind farms among other sources in their projects. In this context, hydrogen has recently become very important for most energy companies worldwide and offers significant potential to enable the transition to a clean, net-zero-emissions world economy.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

The need for helium is growing and supplies in the United States are dwindling, creating an economic opportunity for geoscientists whose knowledge and skills are ideal for this niche industry. In Arizona, known for its helium-rich formations, a growing number of companies are leasing land and drilling for the gas.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Article

Colombia’s 60-year internal conflict impacts a great part of the South American nation, but the most devastating effects have occurred in rural communities and outlying populations that, in addition to violence, are plagued by geographical and social isolation, deficiencies in educational and health care and inattention from the government authorities. Ironically, many of these areas are geological environments ripe for oil and gas exploration and mining. Challenges like these caught the attention of Carlos Ortega, an exploration geologist who co-founded ACGGP’s Regional Pedagogy Program to serve as a bridge between communities and industry.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Learn! Blog

As the energy industry broadens, thanks to new technologies and new interest in emerging areas such as hydrogen, energy storage, expanded CCUS, geothermal, there is an increasing need for harmonization of policies, regulations, and coordination. Welcome to an interview with Nikki Martin, President of the EnerGeo Alliance, dedicated to developing a strategic approach in all the quickly changing areas.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Explorer Division Column EMD

Energy minerals have always been lurking in the background, silently supporting societal progress without the usual spectacle accompanied by paradigm-shifting discoveries. Looking back at decades’ worth of AAPG EXPLORER issues, many of the cover stories lay bare the gradual exposure of energy minerals into the light. Energy minerals continue to play a supporting role in most technologies, and as these become more prevalent, it is my hope that we don’t lose sight of how and where these energy minerals are being sourced.

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American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

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wwwUpdate Blog

Courtesy of AAPG and AAPG Datapages, two Discovery Series data sets have been donated free of charge for use as online teaching materials. Discovery Series 10 – Sandstone Petrology: A Tutorial Petrographic Image Atlas 2nd Edition and Discovery Series 15 – Carbonate Petrology: Interactive Petrography Tutorial, both authored by Kitty Milliken, have been posted online for easy accessibility.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
wwwUpdate Blog

Executive summary of the AAPG 2022 Member/Customer Planning Survey

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
wwwUpdate Blog

Results of the 2022 AAPG Member/Customer Planning Survey.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
wwwUpdate Blog

AAPG publications are widely read by geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers. Are they your target audience? Then take advantage of the many advertising opportunities available in AAPG’s news and journal magazines.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

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